Lens module capable of changing focal distance and electronic device using the same

ABSTRACT

A lens module includes a printed circuit board, a lens component, and at least two electric conductors. The lens component includes a first lens and a microscope base, the first lens is formed on the microscope base, the microscope base is formed on the printed circuit board, and the first lens is electrically conductive and deforms under voltage. The first lens is electrically connected to the printed circuit board by the electric conductors. The printed circuit board outputs a voltage to the first lens through the electric conductors; the first lens deforms according to the voltage thereby changing a focal distance of light passing through the first lens. The disclosure also relates to an electronic device using the lens module. The lens module can has a zoom function and has a litter volume.

FIELD

The subject matter of the application generally relates to a lensmodule.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices, such as mobile phones, tablet computers or cameras,may have lens modules. A voice coil motor of the electronic device isnecessary. The voice coil motor pushes the lens to move to achievedifferent focal distance. As the pixels of the lens module get higher,the volume of the voice coil motor becomes larger.

Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present disclosure will now be described, by wayof embodiments, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a lens moduleaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the lens module of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of a first lens of the lens module ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theembodiments described herein can be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components havenot been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevantfeature being described. Also, the description is not to be consideredas limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawingsare not necessarily to scale, and the proportions of certain portionsmay be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of thepresent disclosure.

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but notnecessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusionor membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and thelike.

FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a lens module 100. The lens module 100includes a printed circuit board 10, a lens component 40, and at leasttwo electric conductors 60. The lens component 20 includes a first lens41. The first lens 41 electrically conductive and deforms under voltageto change the focal distance of lights passing through the first lens41. The printed circuit board 10 is electrically connected to the firstlens 41 by the electric conductors 60. The printed circuit board 10outputs a voltage to the first lens 41 through the electric conductors60. The first lens 41 deforms according to the voltage thereby changinga focal distance of light passing through the first lens 41.

The electric conductors 60 are made from a material which iselectrically conductive, such as a metal, a metal alloy, a polymermaterial, and the likes. In at least one embodiment, the electricconductors 60 are made from a metal. The electric conductors 60 areformed on the printed circuit board 10 and the lens component 40 by alaser direct structuring (LDS) technology.

The printed circuit board 10 may be a flexible printed circuit board, arigid printed circuit board, a rigid-flex printed circuit board, or thelike. In at least one embodiment, the printed circuit board 10 is arigid-flex printed circuit board.

In FIG. 2, the printed circuit board 10 includes a first rigid portion11, a second rigid portion 12, and a flexible portion 13. The flexibleportion 13 is located between the first rigid portion 11 and the secondrigid portion 12. An electrical connection portion 14 is mounted on thesecond rigid portion 12. The electrical connection portion 14 may be aconnector or an edge connector (gold fingers). The electrical connectionportion 14 is used to implement signal transmission between the lensmodule 100 and an external electronic components.

A sensor 15 and a plurality of electronic components 16 are mounted onthe first rigid portion 11. The sensor 15 is electrically connected tothe printed circuit board 10 and is used to receive a light passingthrough the lens component 40 and convert the light into image data. Theelectronic components 16 can be components such as a resistor, acapacitor, a diode, a transistor, a relay, or an electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory (EEPROM). In at least one embodiment, theelectrical connection portion 14, the sensor 15, and the plurality ofelectronic components 16 are formed on a same surface of the printedcircuit board 10. In other embodiment, the electrical connection portion14, the sensor 15, and the plurality of electronic components 16 areformed on a different surface of the printed circuit board 10.

At least two second receiving grooves 17 are defined in the first rigidportion 11. The second receiving grooves 17 and the sensor 15 are formedon a same surface of the printed circuit board 10. At least twoconductive terminals 18 are received in the second receiving grooves 17.The conductive terminals 18 have opposite polarity. The conductiveterminals 18 are used to electrically connect to the electric conductors60 or to make the lens module has an optical image stabilization (OIS)function. In at least one embodiment, the number of the second receivinggrooves 17 is two. In other embodiment, the number of the secondreceiving grooves 17 is not be limit to 2.

In other embodiment, the second receiving groove 17 also can be omitted.

In FIG. 2, the lens module 100 further includes a bearing seat 20. Thebearing seat 20 is mounted on the first rigid portion 11. In at leastone embodiment, the bearing seat 20 is mounted on the first rigidportion 11 by a first adhesive 72. In at least one embodiment, thebearing seat 20, the sensor 15, and the plurality of electroniccomponents 16 are formed on a same surface of the printed circuit board10. The bearing seat 20 is roughly rectangular. A through hole 22 isdefined in the bearing seat 20. The through hole 22 penetrates throughthe bearing seat 20 and faces the sensor 15.

An optical filter 30 is formed on the bearing seat 20. The opticalfilter 30 faces the through hole 22. The optical filter 30 and thesensor 15 are formed on two opposite sides of the bearing seat 20. In atleast one embodiment, the optical filter 30 is mounted on the bearingseat 20 by a second adhesive 74. In at least one embodiment, the opticalfilter 30 is rectangular.

In FIG. 2, the lens component 40 further includes a microscope base 44.The microscope base 44 is used to fix the first lens 41. The first lens41 is formed on the microscope base 44. The microscope base 44 ismounted on the bearing seat 20 by a third adhesive 76.

At least two first receiving grooves 50 are defined in an outer wall ofthe microscope base 44 and an outer wall of the bearing seat 20. Thefirst receiving grooves 50 are used to receive the electric conductors60. One end of each of the first receiving grooves 50 abuts the firstlens 41, the other ends of each of the first receiving grooves 50 abutsthe printed circuit board 10. That is, each of the first receivinggrooves 50 are defined from the first lens 41 to the outer wall of themicroscope base 44 and from the outer wall of the bearing seat 20 to theprinted circuit board 10.

In at least one embodiment, a number of the first receiving grooves 50are two, which are named a first receiving groove portion 52 and asecond receiving groove portion 54. The first receiving groove portion52 and the second receiving groove portion 54 are spaced from eachother.

In at least one embodiment, a number of the electric conductors 60 aretwo, which are named a first electric conductor 62 and a second electricconductor 64. The first electric conductor 62 is received in the firstreceiving groove portion 52 and the second electric conductor 64 isreceived in the second receiving groove portion 54.

The lens component 40 further includes a second lens 43. The second lens43 is received in the microscope base 44 and formed between the firstlens 41 and the microscope base 44.

The first lens 41 can adjust the focal distance by changing the voltageof the first lens 41. The focal distance of the lights passing throughthe first lens 41 will change. The lights passing through the first lens41 pass through the second lens 43 and are converged on the sensor 15 toform a desired image. The first lens 41 cooperates with the second lens43 to form the desired image.

In FIGS. 2-3, the first lens 41 includes at least two electrodes 42, afiller 45 which is electrically conductive and deforms under voltage,and a sealing body 411 with a cavity 414. The sealing body 411 is madefrom a euphotic material. One end of each of the electrodes 42 iselectrically connected to the electric conductor 60, the other end ofeach of the electrodes 42 extends to the cavity 414 and is electricallyconnected to the filler 45. The filler 45 is sealed in the cavity 414.

In at least one embodiment, a number of the electrodes 42 are two, whichare named a first electrode 422 and a second electrode 424. The firstelectrode 422 and the second electrode 424 have opposite polarity. Thefirst electrode 422 is electrically connected to the first electricconductor 62 and the second electrode 424 is electrically connected tothe second electric conductor 64. The first electrode 422 and the secondelectrode 424 are electrically connected to the conductive terminals 18formed on the printed circuit board 10 to electrically connect to apositive pole and a negative pole of the printed circuit board 10.

The filler 45 is at least one of a liquid filler and a solid filler. Inat least one embodiment, the filler 45 is a liquid filler. The filler 45includes a first liquid 452 and a second liquid 454. The first liquid452 and the second liquid 454 cannot dissolve with each other. At leastone of the first liquid 452 and the second liquid 454 is electricallyconductive and deforms under voltage to change a shape and a curvatureof a contacting surface between the first liquid 452 and the secondliquid 454 thereby changing the focal distance of light passing throughthe first lens 41, and to make the lens module 100 has a zoom function.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an electronic device 200. The electronicdevice 200 includes a body 202 and the lens module 100 mounted in thebody 202. The electronic device 200 may be a smart phone, a tabletcomputer, or the like. In at least one embodiment, the electronic device200 is a smart phone.

With the embodiments described above, the lens module 100 includes afirst lens 41 capable of conducting electricity and producingdeformation under voltage to change the focal distance of lights passingthrough the first lens 41, and is electrically connected to printedcircuit board 10 by at least two electric conductors 60, so the lensmodule 100 can change the focal distance by the first lens 41, not by avoice coil motor. Furthermore, defining at least two first receivinggrooves 50 in the outer wall of the microscope base 44 and the outerwall of the bearing seat 20 which are used to receive the electricconductors 60 can avoid increasing extra volume of the lens module 100,and can protect the electric conductors 60 from damaging.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Manydetails are often found in the art such as the other features of a lensmodule and an electronic device using the lens module. Therefore, manysuch details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have beenpositioned forth in the foregoing description, together with details ofthe structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes can be made in the detail, including inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within theprinciples of the present disclosure, up to and including the fullextent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in theclaims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments describedabove can be modified within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lens module comprising: a printed circuitboard; a lens component, wherein the lens component comprises a firstlens and a microscope base, the first lens is formed on the microscopebase, the microscope base is formed on the printed circuit board, thefirst lens comprises at least two electrodes, a sealing body with acavity, and a filler sealed in the cavity; and at least two electricconductors, wherein the first lens is electrically connected to theprinted circuit board by the at least two electric conductors; one endof each of the at least two electrodes is electrically connected to acorresponding one of the at least two electric conductors, the other endof each of the at least two electrodes extends to the cavity and iselectrically connected to the filler, the printed circuit board outputsa voltage to the first lens through the at least two electricconductors; the first lens is configured to deform under a change of thevoltage applied to the first lens, thereby changing a focal distance ofthe first lens.
 2. The lens module of claim 1, wherein at least twofirst receiving grooves are defined in an outer wall of the microscopebase, and the at least two electric conductors are received in the atleast two first receiving grooves.
 3. The lens module of claim 2,wherein the lens module further comprises a bearing seat mounted on theprinted circuit board, the at least two first receiving grooves aredefined in an outer wall of the bearing seat, and the at least two firstreceiving grooves are defined from the first lens to the outer wall ofthe microscope base and from the outer wall of the bearing seat to theprinted circuit board.
 4. The lens module of claim 1, wherein the lenscomponent further comprises a second lens received in the microscopebase, the second lens is formed between the first lens and themicroscope base.
 5. The lens module of claim 1, wherein at least twosecond receiving grooves are defined in the printed circuit board, atleast two conductive terminals are received in the at least two secondreceiving grooves; the conductive terminals have opposite polarity; theat least two electrodes have opposite polarity; the at least twoelectrodes are electrically connected to the conductive terminals formedon the printed circuit board to electrically connect to a positive poleand a negative pole of the printed circuit board.
 6. The lens module ofclaim 1, wherein the filler is at least one of a liquid filler and asolid filler.
 7. The lens module of claim 1, wherein the sealing body ismade from a euphotic material.
 8. The lens module of claim 1, whereinthe filler is a liquid filler, the filler comprises a first liquid and asecond liquid; the first liquid and the second liquid cannot dissolvewith each other; at least one of the first liquid and the second liquidis electrically conductive and deforms under a change of the voltage tochange a shape and a curvature of a contacting surface between the firstliquid and the second liquid thereby changing the focal distance of thefirst lens.
 9. The lens module of claim 3, wherein the lens modulefurther comprises a sensor formed on and electrically connected to theprinted circuit board; a through hole is defined in the bearing seat;and the through hole penetrates through the bearing seat and faces thesensor.
 10. An electronic device, comprising: a body; a lens modulemounted in the body comprising: a printed circuit board; a lenscomponent, wherein the lens component comprises a first lens and amicroscope base, the first lens is formed on the microscope base, themicroscope base is formed on the printed circuit board, the first lenscomprises at least two electrodes, a sealing body with a cavity, and afiller sealed in the cavity; and at least two electric conductors,wherein the first lens is electrically connected to the printed circuitboard by the at least two electric conductors; one end of each of the atleast two electrodes is electrically connected to a corresponding one ofthe at least two electric conductors, the other end of each of the atleast two electrodes extends to the cavity and is electrically connectedto the filler, the printed circuit board outputs a voltage to the firstlens through the at least two electric conductors; the first lens isconfigured to deform under a change of the voltage applied to the firstlens, thereby changing a focal distance of the first lens.
 11. Theelectronic device of claim 10, wherein at least two first receivinggrooves are defined in an outer wall of the microscope base, the atleast two electric conductors are received in the at least two firstreceiving grooves.
 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein thelens module further comprises a bearing seat mounted on the printedcircuit board, the at least two first receiving grooves are defined inan outer wall of the bearing seat, and the at least two first receivinggrooves are defined from the first lens to the outer wall of themicroscope base and from the outer wall of the bearing seat to theprinted circuit board.
 13. The electronic device of claim 10, whereinthe lens component further comprises a second lens received in themicroscope base, the second lens is formed between the first lens andthe microscope base.
 14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein atleast two second receiving grooves are defined in the printed circuitboard, at least two conductive terminals are received in the at leasttwo second receiving grooves; the conductive terminals have oppositepolarity; the at least two electrodes have opposite polarity; the atleast two electrodes are electrically connected to the conductiveterminals formed on the printed circuit board to electrically connect toa positive pole and a negative pole of the printed circuit board. 15.The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the filler is at least one ofa liquid filler and a solid filler.
 16. The electronic device of claim10, wherein the sealing body is made from a euphotic material.
 17. Theelectronic device of claim 10, wherein the filler is a liquid filler,the filler comprises a first liquid and a second liquid; the firstliquid and the second liquid cannot dissolve with each other; at leastone of the first liquid and the second liquid is electrically conductiveand deforms under a change of the voltage to change a shape and acurvature of a contacting surface between the first liquid and thesecond liquid thereby changing the focal distance of the first lens. 18.The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the lens module furthercomprises a sensor formed on and electrically connected to the printedcircuit board; a through hole is defined in the bearing seat; and thethrough hole penetrates through the bearing seat and faces the sensor.